With Open Arms
by PiNkInSaNiTy
Summary: It's been awhile since the Holocaust ended and both Amestris and the real world are suffering from the after effects. [RoyEd, AlphonseWinry]
1. Prolouge

Berlin, Germany. 1924

Edward could no longer look at the world from a logical point of view and this tidbit of information baffled his younger brother to no end. His brother had never believed in God, now there was not a day in which the former state alchemist could not be found pouring over excerpts from the bible in his study. He called himself a man of science and shunned those who depended on the lord, now he spent his days milling about the grounds of the local church as he waited for the doors to be opened. Edward insisted that the change was a good thing, said that he was benefiting from it. Alphonse knew better. He had lay awake in his bed on countless occasions just listening to his brother scream and cry and carry on as he tried and failed at whatever alchemic research he was working on. Alphonse was certain that if this routine kept up, he would eventually lose what he had left of his brother.

The blonde bun tied at the back of Edward's head bobbed with each step he took along the cobblestone alley. He continued reading his to do list to his brother who had lost interest in listening long ago. "Then after we pick up the new shipment of flowers for Gracia we have to help Noah paint her shop." He closed his pocket journal and slid it into the pouch swinging from his hip. "And that's our plan for the day."

Alphonse snapped out of his mid-day haze and gave his brother a shifty smile. "No church?"

Edward sighed as if he was genuinely disappointed. "Remodeling. Won't be finished 'til Tuesday."

"Oh, that's too bad."

Silence fell upon them, each brother lost in his own thoughts. It wasn't until Alphonse realized that the elder was talking to himself about Eckhart that he stopped, his brother continuing on down the narrow path as his one-sided conversation consumed him.

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Amestris. 1924

"So you're sure you won't come back?"

Roy picked his head up from the pile of papers he was supposed to be sorting through to look condescendingly at the blonde muscle builder situated by his door.

"Yes, Lt. Armstrong, I'm positive."

The lieutenant sighed and saluted his once commanding officer. "Of course sir, I'm sorry to have bothered you."

The former state alchemist nodded and dropped his head back down on his makeshift pillow to resume the nap his commanding officer had rudely interrupted.

Alex turned and exited the cramped work space. "Hawkeye wishes you the best." Were his parting words before clambering into his car to return to his station on the outskirts of Lior.

Mustang meanwhile swiveled his eyes to the now closed door and grimaced.

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Well folks that's it for the prologue.

If you liked it, review.

If you didn't, tell me what you didn't like.

If you're a nice person you'll give me suggestions for a good plot line.

Note: All chapters following this will be 6 pages or more.


	2. Accidents & Soldiers

Berlin, Germany. 1924.

"Edward, you're dripping paint everywhere!" Noah hastened to place a towel under the sopping paint brush and dabbed at a few green blotches on the blonde's shirt with a wet sponge.

Alphonse trotted down the winding wire staircase carrying a gray tarp to spread across the oak tiling. "You really have to be more careful brother; we're supposed to be painting the walls not the floor."

"It's not my fault, if you had been quicker to bring that down from the attic this wouldn't have happened."

The younger male handed the tarp to Noah who smiled hesitantly and began to spread it across the floor. "Well if you hadn't been so impatient and had just waited for me there wouldn't be paint on the floor."

Edward raised his voice and jabbed a finger into his brother's chest. "Yeah well-"

"Boys calm down." Gracia shuffled in through the open French doors and placed a crystal vase containing dyed blue roses on the window sill. "There you go Noah, the shop looks cheerier already." The woman placed her right hand on the small of her back and her left over the bulge of her stomach.

"Thank you ma'am." The fortuneteller smiled warmly at the older female. "Do you need help with anything?"

"Noah please call me Gracia, and Edward and Alphonse were kind enough to help me move a few things around and organize the new shipment earlier this morning." She moved her left hand to rest on her back beside her right. "Isn't that right boys?"

Alphonse responded with a cheery 'yes' and Edward mumbled a 'whatever' under his breath which earned him a kick to the knee from his brother.

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Amestris. 1924.

"General!" Jean swung Mustang's office door open and bent over with his hands on his knees to catch his breath. Had the idiot run to the Central Militia Base from the west outpost?!

"Stop calling me that Havoc." Roy growled and threw a letter opener across the room at the blonde's head and it embedded itself into the door frame. "What do you want?"

"Riza wanted me to give you this…" He held up and torn package covered in duct tape that he'd fished out of his pocket. "She said she'd shoot me if I didn't get it to you by noon."

The former general's left eye visibly twitched and he motioned for Havoc to hand over the ragtag parcel. "What the hell is it?"

Jean tossed the box across the small office and it landed with a soft 'thunk' on the desk. "I have no idea, but she was threatening me so it must be important." A hop, skip and jump later and Roy looked up to find Havoc napping on his couch.

"Some soldier you are."

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Berlin, Germany. 1924.

"Damn it!" Edward placed his bleeding thumb in his mouth and yelled for Alphonse to bring him a bandage. "Stupid mouse!" The blonde slapped the floor with his mechanical arm causing a small tremor that sent the aforementioned creature running.

"Alphonse where's that ban-" The blonde looked up to find his brother looking at him quizzically from his bedroom door bandage in hand. "Oh. Thanks."

"Is that a transmutation circle?"

"Huh?" Edward looked down at the smudged chalk drawing he's was currently sitting on. "Not anymore it isn't." He grabbed his bed for support as he got up and brushed off the back of his pants. "Oh well. It didn't work anyways."

Alphonse took his brother's bleeding finger between his hands and carefully wrapped the almost forgotten bandage around it. "Then why did you make it?"

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Amestris. 1924.

Roy put his pen down and cast a side glance at the book Riza had sent him via Havoc. He snorted. That man would do anything for a woman, especial Riza, and that anything included the hundred-fifty miles he'd run that morning to deliver a book to his former commanding officer.

The brunette sighed and plucked the thing off the corner of his desk and flipped through the pages leaning back in his chair without a care in the world. Wait. He flipped back several pages and stared dumbly at the design scrawled on the page. A transmutation circle. The exact transmutation circle he'd been looking for. Mustang slipped his finger between the pages to keep his place and flipped the book closed to read the title. 'This isn't a book.' He thought to himself realization dawning on his face. 'This is a journal. _Edward's_ journal.'

It was decided. He would set to work as soon as his shift ended.


End file.
